Oral Hygiene Device

Abstract

An oral hygiene device includes a handle, a head coupled to the handle, a substantially planar base disposed on the head, and a plurality of cleaning elements projecting from the base. The plurality of cleaning elements are characterized by at least two different geometries, and at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements are generally oblong cleaning bars. Adjacent cleaning elements define at least one channel that extends in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal direction of at least some of the oblong cleaning bars.

1 - 55 . (canceled) 
   
   
       56 . An oral hygiene device, comprising:
 a handle;   a head coupled to the handle;   a substantially planar base disposed on the head; and   a plurality of cleaning elements projecting from the base, the plurality of cleaning elements being characterized by at least two different geometries,
 wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements comprise generally oblong cleaning bars, and 
 wherein adjacent cleaning elements define at least one channel that extends in a direction generally transverse to a longitudinal direction of at least some of the oblong cleaning bars. 
   
   
   
       57 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements are generally right circular cylindrical projections extending from the base. 
   
   
       58 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the channel is adjacent the oblong cleaning bars that the channel is generally transverse to. 
   
   
       59 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein adjacent cleaning elements define at least two channels at least a portion of which are oblique to one another. 
   
   
       60 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the channel generally extends along a straight line. 
   
   
       61 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the channel has a width that increases along the channel. 
   
   
       62 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 61 , wherein the channel curves. 
   
   
       63 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 62 , wherein a radius of curvature of the channel decreases along the channel. 
   
   
       64 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least two oblong cleaning bars are disposed on opposite sides of the channel and have a longitudinal direction that is generally transverse to the channel. 
   
   
       65 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein a longitudinal dimension of the oblong cleaning bars increases along the channel. 
   
   
       66 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprise a cleaning stud, and wherein the cleaning stud is generally aligned with the longitudinal direction of one of the oblong cleaning bars. 
   
   
       67 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprises a plurality of cleaning studs. 
   
   
       68 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 67 , wherein the plurality of cleaning studs are disposed in an outer region of the base and the plurality of oblong cleaning bars are disposed in an inner region of the base. 
   
   
       69 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of oblong cleaning bars are arranged in a herringbone pattern. 
   
   
       70 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of oblong cleaning bars extend from the edge of the head towards the center of the head and towards a distal end of the head. 
   
   
       71 . The oral hygiene device in  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are radiused at their distal end and have a distal surface that is substantially parallel to the base. 
   
   
       72 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 71 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are radiused between an angle of 60 degrees and 120 degrees. 
   
   
       73 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 71 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are radiused with a radius that is between 10% and 50% of the smaller of a diameter or a width of the cleaning elements. 
   
   
       74 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 71 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are radiused with a radius that is between 15% and 40% of a height of the cleaning elements. 
   
   
       75 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 71 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are radiused with a radius that is generally equal to the height of the cleaning elements. 
   
   
       76 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements have a generally circular or generally elliptical cross-section in a plane parallel to the base. 
   
   
       77 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements have a generally quadrangular cross-section in the plane parallel to the base. 
   
   
       78 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 77 , wherein the generally quadrangular cross-section defines a diamond shape with diagonals having a ratio between 0.2 and 5. 
   
   
       79 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements comprise lateral surfaces that are at different angles to the normal of the base relative to one another. 
   
   
       80 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements are a truncated cone with a sidewall rising from the base. 
   
   
       81 . The oral hygiene device in  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements are a segment of a spherical cap with a concave face. 
   
   
       82 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein each of the plurality of cleaning elements has a width that is greater than or equal to 0.5 millimeters. 
   
   
       83 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein each of the plurality of cleaning elements has a height that is greater than or equal to 0.6 millimeters. 
   
   
       84 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements have a base with a cross-sectional area that is greater than or equal to 0.2 square millimeters. 
   
   
       85 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements consume more than 75% of the area of the base. 
   
   
       86 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning bars are angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the handle. 
   
   
       87 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the plurality of cleaning elements are reflectively symmetric about the longitudinal axis of the handle. 
   
   
       88 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements are arranged in point symmetry. 
   
   
       89 . The oral hygiene device  claim 56 , wherein at least some of the cleaning bars comprise cheek surfaces that are inclined at an angle between −30 degrees and +60 degrees to the normal vector of the base. 
   
   
       90 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning bars consume between 5% and 50% of the area of the base. 
   
   
       91 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the minimum width of the channel is 0.8 millimeters and the maximum width of the channel is 1.5 millimeters. 
   
   
       92 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the channel is longer than 5 millimeters. 
   
   
       93 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprise a plurality of bent cleaning bars each defining two legs that are substantially perpendicular to one another. 
   
   
       94 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprises a plurality of cleaning arches. 
   
   
       95 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 94 , wherein the plurality of cleaning arches decrease in height toward a center of the head. 
   
   
       96 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements comprise a thermoplastic elastomer having a Shore hardness between 30 and 70 A. 
   
   
       97 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 94 , wherein the base is made of the thermoplastic elastomer, and wherein the base merges relatively seamlessly with at least a rear side of the head. 
   
   
       98 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the head and the plurality of cleaning elements have a different hardness. 
   
   
       99 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 98 , wherein the head is formed from a harder material than the plurality of cleaning elements, and wherein the base is secured to the head by a projection of the head embedded in the base, the projection of the head being substantially flush with the surface of the base. 
   
   
       100 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 99 , wherein the projection has a lighter color than the base or is more transparent than the base. 
   
   
       101 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements define an open area near the center of the base configured to receive a cleaning medium, and wherein the open area is recessed within the base. 
   
   
       102 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements extend from a back side of the head and toothbrush bristles extend from a first side of the head. 
   
   
       103 . The oral hygiene device of  claim 56 , wherein the plurality of cleaning elements consume between 50 and 200 square millimeters of an exposed area of the base. 
   
   
       104 . A tongue-scraper toothbrush, comprising:
 a toothbrush comprising bristles on a front side of the toothbrush; and   a plurality of cleaning elements disposed on a back side of the toothbrush, wherein the plurality of cleaning elements define one or more channels between the cleaning elements, and wherein at least some of the cleaning elements are cleaning bars that are angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the handle of the toothbrush.   
   
   
       105 . An oral hygiene device, comprising:
 a handle;   a head extending from the handle; and   a tongue scraper disposed on a side of the head, wherein the tongue scraper comprises a plurality of cleaning bars disposed on opposite sides of a channel defined by the plurality of cleaning bars, wherein each of the plurality of cleaning bars has a longitudinal axis that is generally perpendicular to the channel.